Assighob to cahtoif poege



Oct. 9, 1928. 3,,[686537 L. A. SCHNEEDER METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SHEET METAL RAIL ANGHORS Original Filed Sept. 29, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 j lTufrftar MMW M awk 0 9, 1928. 11,886,537- L. A. SCHNEIDER METHOD OFMANUFACTURING SHEET METAL RAIL: ANCHQRS Original Filed Sept. 29, 1924 a She etS-Sheet 2 Invent An ia? Oct. 9, 1928;.

L. A. SCHNEIDER METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SHEET METAL RAIL ANGHORS Original Filed Sept. 29, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 9, 1928.

L. A. SCHNEIDER METHOD OF \MANUFACTURING- SHEET METAL RAIL ANCHORS Original Filed Sept. 29, 1924- 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented @ct. 9, 1%28.

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LAURENCE A. SCHNEIDER, OF CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGE'OB TO CANTON FORGE 82; AXLE COMPANY, OF CANTON, 01-110, A CURZPGBATIGN F DELAXVAEE.

METHOD or mennneo'rnnine SHEET-IEE'LAL RAIL ANCHORS.

Original application filed September 29, 1924, Serial No. 740,593 Divided and this application filed May 26,

My invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of rail anchors, and especially to the two-piece type of anchor having eparately formed members for gripping opposite edges of the rail base, and having interlocking wedge flanges which, by their wedging engagement with each other, holdthe anchor device in its operative position on the rail.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved method of forming twopiece anchors of the above type from sheet metal, whereby the anchor devices may be pro duced on a commercial scale, and whereby the rail gripping aws and the interlocking flanges of the anchor members may be made with a high degree of accuracy by bending operations.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved method oi forming sheet metal rail anchors of the above type for bending metal blanks of sutlicient thickness to provide the strength and rigidity required of devices of this character, and-whereby the bending of the blank may be effected with a minimum stretch of metal, even though the port-ion bent is relatively long and narrow.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a. plan view of arailroad rail showing a two-piece anchor device constructed in accordance with my invention, applied to thebase flange of the rail.

Fig. 2 is a face view of the rail anchor shown in Fig. 1, the base portion of therail being shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of one of the rail anchor members.

' Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of another rail anchor member adapted to have an interlocking engagement with the members shown in Fig. 3. 1

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a sheet metal blank, from which the member shown in Fig. 8 is formed.

Fig. 6 is a view showing the metal blank positioned between die members and subjected to an initial bending operation. I

Fig. 7 shows the blank before i t is subjected to the final bending operation.

Fig. 8 shows a metal blank after it is bent to its completed form.

Serial No. 111,747.

Fig. 9 is a view in perspective of a sheetmetal blank from WhlCll the anchor member shown 111 Fig. l is formed, a portion of the blank being illustrated in this figure as being I f bent to a position to provide a tie abutment for the anchor.

Figs. 10 and 11 are views showing the blank positioned between die sections employed in connection with certain of the bending operations, and

Figs. 12 and 13 show the blank member and the apparatus employed in connection with the finishing operation of the anchor member.

My improved method is particularly suitable for use in the manufacture of a sheet metal anchor of the two-piece type shown in Figs. 1 to a inclusive of the drawings, but may obviously be used in connection with the mamitacture of other types of anchors where similar conditions are present.

The rail anchor illustrated in the drawings is a device consisting of two aw members 10 and 11, which grip opposite edges of the rail base 13 and have a wedging interlocking engagement with each other at a point heneath the base of the rail. The member 10 of the anchor is formed at one end with a jaw portion 14 adapted to grip one edge of the rail base, which jaw portion is so formed as to provide recesses 15 and 16 to provide clearance tor the upper and lower corners of the rail base, and thereby insure a firm bearing engagement of the jaw 1e and the body portion-0t the member with the upper and lower surfaces, respectively, of the rail base. The other end of the anchor is bent to provide a channel shaped portion 17, the upstanding flange 18 of which is relatively low and extends at an angle to the longitudinal center of the rail so as to function as a wedge when the same is interlocked with the mating member 11. T he flange 18 is preferably bent inwardly so as to stand at an angle to the vertical, and to provide a hook-shaped configuration. At a point intermediate the jaw and said channel shaped portion, a projection is bent downwardly to provide an abutment 19,'adapted to bear against a vertical face of the cross-tie 20.

The member 11 is formed from a sheet metal blank of the configuration shown in Fig. 5,

bent to provide a jaw portion 21 for engaging the opposite edge of the rail. The jaw portion of this member, like the jaw portion of member 10, is formed with recesses 22 and 23 to provide clearance for the upper and lower. corners of this edge of the rail base and thereby insures a firm contact of the jaw 21 and the body of the member with the upper and lower surfaces of the rail base at a point within the edges of the base. The extremity of the jaw 21. is also. preferably curved upwardly, as shown at 24. i The other end of the member 11 is formed with a downturned flange 25 of substantially the same height as the flange 18 and ext-ends. at an angle to the longiutdinal axis of the rail so as to cooperate with the wed-ging surface of flange 18. The flangeQS is also. inclined vertically so that the flanges 18 and 25 will provide an interlocking engagement to prevent the channel-shaped portion of the member from moving downward with relation to the under-surface of the rail base. The member 11 is preferably made of slightly thicker, material than the memben 10 so asto provide a relatively thick portion orstriking surface to receive the hammer blows during the application of the anchor to.the rail,

The anchor is applied tothc railby hooking the jaws of members 10-and 11 over opposite edges of the rail base. The member 11 is then driven longitudinally of the rail so that the angular-1y disposed flanges 1S and of the members will effect a firm wedging engagement with each other andthereby produce a; tight gripping action of the jaws 14 and; 21 upon the opposite edges of: the rail,

base.

In carryingoutmy improved method in connection with themanufacture of member- 11, ablank 26 is sheared from a metal sheet of suitable thickness-by any suitable or preferred means, one end. of, the blank being; shearedon a; diagonal hire, as shown in Fig.

5. Theblankis then'heated to a suitable bendingtemperature and-is bent to asubstantially V.:-shaped configuration, the, diagonal edge effected by. means of die-sections 28 and 29..

The contour of the die sections is such that thepoint 30 of the die section 28forms the clearance. recess 23:.of the member 1.1..slicwn in Figs. Q-and 3. During the initial bending operation, the diagonal edge 27 of the blank is bent over therib 31 of the die 29 and is pressed firmly. against, its side 32 sons to form the inclinedfiange 25 ofthe anchor member. The. curvedisunface 3310f die section 28 is so proportioned as to insure the pressing or swaging of the heated end 27 of theblank firmly against; the su fa-e 32 of the die section 29, and thereby insures a uniform inclination of the flange 25 of the finished memher, and at the .same time making it possible to bend said flange at av relatively sharp angle without appreciable stretch of the metal at the bend. The rib 31 of the die 29 is so disposed that the bending of the end 27 of the blank will be effected, as previously mentioned, alo-ngthe line-parallelto-the diagonal edge of the blank. After the blank is bent to the configuration shown in Fig. 6, it is gripped between suitable gripping members to prevent distortion of the flanged end 34; and the portion 35, and the end 36 is then bent around an, anvil of suitable configuration to form the jaw portion 21 of the anchor 1116111. her.

In practice, the blank is removed from the dies 2829, and is placed, as shown. in Fig. 7., upon. an anvil 37. The end of the anvil is formed. with an. enlargement, one portion: 39 of which fits into the recess formed in the blank by the end 30 of the die 28. The other portion 40 of the enlargement at the end of the anvil forms a clearance recess 22' of the anchor member whenthe end. 36 of the blank. is bent to its completed form. Before bending the end 36 around the die, thegripping member 38 is pressed firmly against the blank to prevent distortion of the previously formed end portion. The end 36 is then bent. around the die by means of the pivoted, arm- 41. The arm 41 operates ona curved trackway so that the downward. movement. of the arm from the position shown. in Fig. 7 to the position shown in Fig. 8 brings the end. 42 of the arm into-engagement with the end. 365 of. theblank andpresses it firmly against the curved under. surface of the anvil.

The member 10 of. the rail. anchor shown herein is made from a blank. 43 ofv the eonfiguration shown in Fig. 9. The blank is sheared from a metal sheet of the desired thickness. The end 1 1- is formed with a diagonal edge-and the edge 45 is formedwith a portion 46. The blank is heated to asuitablebending temperature and issubjectcd: while it-is hot to'a plurality of. bcndingoperations, all bending operations being preferably completed with a single heating. of the blank.

The first of the bending operations consists in. bending the portion 46 to a. position at right angles with respect tothe body portion. of the blank so as to provide the tie-abuttin g: portion 19 of the anchor. The end 47 of the blank is then offset laterally with respect. to

the body portion 48, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 10, and the end 49 is bent upwardly to the dotted line position shown in; Fig. 10. The above bendingoperation, that'isto say, the forming of the bends 50,51 and 52 are effected preferably by means of. die sections 53 and 54:. The-die sections are formed with cooperating faces-of substanti ally. the contour shown in Fig. 10. The blank is-supportedzinv a diagonal position on the shoulders 55 and 56 of die sections 54, so that the shoulders 57 and 58 of the die section 53 will engage the blank at substantially the same time and the bends50, 51 and 52 are formed simultaneously. The pressure of the shoulders 55, 56, 57 and 58 of the dies upon opposite faces of the blank during the bending operation, tends to distribute the stretching of the metal throughout the entire length of the blank and thereby avoid excessive thinning of the metal at any one of the bends.

After the bends 50, 51 and 52 have been formed, the diagonal edge 44: of the blank is bent to form the interlocking flange 18 of the anchor member. 1 The forming of the flange 18 is preferably accomplished by two bending operations. The first operation consists in bending the end il l upwardly along a line parallel to the diagonal edge so that the width of the flange will be uniform throughout its length and so that the flange will extend at the desired angle to provide wedge shaped interlocking surfaces. The second operation consists in bending the partially formed flange 18 inwardly to its normal position, in which position it is adapted to interlock with the corresponding flange of the other member of the anchor.

The initial bending of the f a ge 18 is preferably effected by means of t. s The partially formed blank is positioned upon the die sections 59, in which position the end 44 of the blank rests on a curved shoulder 61 of the said die sections and bend 52 rests on a curved surface 62 of the die section The die section is provided with a projection 63 which, when the section 60 is moved downward, engages the angular portion 6465 of the blank and presses it into a recess (S6 of the die section 59 to partially form the channel shaped portion 17 of the anchor member. The projec' ion 63 and the recess 66 taper in width so as to bend the flange 18 of the blank along a line parallel to the diagonal edge, as heretofore previously referred to. The other bends in the body portion of the blank are formed, it'will be seen, on lines perpendicular to the longitudinal edges of the blank. The second bending operation in connection with the forming of the flange 18 is effected by means of mechanism shown in Figs. 12 and 13. The blank is removec from between the dies 5960 and is placed in an inverted position on an anvil 67. The anvil is formed at one end with a portion 68 corresponding in contour to the inner wall of the channel shaped portion 17 ot the finished anchor member, and is formed at the other end with a curved port-ion corresponding substantially to the contour of the jaw end of the anchor member. The end a l of the blank is bent inwardly and pressed firmly against the wall 69 of the anvil, by means of a dog 70 or other suitable means for bending the flange 18 inwardly throughout its entire length without effecting displacement of metal likely to vary the width of the flange. The do or other gripping member 70 is held in its blank gripping position during the sul sequent bending of the blank, so as to prevent the subsequent pressures against the blank from distorting the angulari of the iiange. The end "("1 of the blank is b t around the end of the anvil t provide jaw portion 14 of the finished anchor member. This end of the anvil is form d with beads 'T3'7 i which provide for th forming of the clearance recesses 15 and 16, respectively, of the anchor member. The ben ding of the end 71 of the blank is accomplished by means of a pivoted aan 75, formed with a rounded angularly disposed portion 76 and is guided in its movement on a cam surface 7'? so that the end of the arm will enga e the end 71 of the blank and bend it around the curved under surface of the anvil. The body portion of the blank is als subjectcd to pressure during th bending of the end 71 so as to insure that the blank when bent to its completed form will conform to the curvature of the anvil. The blank is shown in Fig. 13 in i held firmly on the anvil after it has been bent from the position shown in Fig. 12 to the position shown in Fig. 13.

While l have described my improved method as consisting of certain definite steps to be carried out in the manufacture of a rail anchor of the type shown in the drawings, it will be understood that I contemplate as a part of my invention, all deviations in practice of the method as come within the scope of the appended claims.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 740,593, filed September 29, 19:24:, which has matured into Patent- No. 1,644,283 dated October 4, 1927.

1 claim:

1. lhe method of making a rail anchor iember of sheet metal comprising the shearing of a metal blank along lines providing a diagonal. edge one end of the blank, providing the blank with reverse bends, one of which is parallel to said diagonal edge to provide an angularly disposed flange, and bending the other end of the blank along a plurality of parallel lines to provide a rail engaging jaw.

2. The method of making a rail anchor member comprising the bending of a blank along a diagonal line to provide an angularly disposed flange, bending the blank on a line oernendicular to the side ed es thereof to provide a recess extending below the plane of that portion of the blank between said bends to provide clearance for the longitudinal edges of the rail base flange, then bending one end of the blank to provide a hook shaped configuration.

3. T ie method of forming a twopiece rail anchor of sheet metal, comprising the shearing of two metal blanks along lines providing s complo ed form and parallel to said diagonal edge to mov ilv a flange, pressing 5:1 id flange inwardly to a hook shamed: configuration bending the other end of said blank to provide a ]2L\\ portion, forniing the other blank with reversecl bends; one of which is parallel to its diaoonal edge to 10 provide a flange to interlock with the said" flange of the other inen'ibei, then bending the other end of the blank to a hook shaped coir figuration:

LAURENCE SCHNEIDER; 

